CARDIFF hope to have Welsh internationals Martyn Williams, Rhys Williams and Andrew Lewis back from injury for Saturday's league meeting with Pontypridd.

CARDIFF hope to have Welsh internationals Martyn Williams, Rhys Williams and Andrew Lewis back from injury for Saturday's league meeting with Pontypridd.

All three sat out last Sunday's humiliating Heineken Cup hammering at home to Northampton.

But skipper Martyn Williams looks to have shaken off a dead leg and the club are keeping their fingers crossed over full-back Rhys Williams (knee) and hooker Lewis (neck).

There's also encouraging news over fellow Wales stars Craig Morgan and Jamie Robinson who are expected to be available after picking up knocks in the 31-0 Arms Park defeat against Northampton.

In addition, Canadian forwards Dan Baugh (bruised ribs) and John Tait (shoulder) both trained yesterday.

However, centre Pieter Muller (calf) and hooker Greg Woods (ribs) are definitely out of the trip to Sardis Road, along with long-term injury victims Gary Powell (neck), Jim Brownrigg (shoulder) and Spencer John (neck).

And prop Ken Fourie, who has completed the three-match ban he received following his Celtic League sending at Ponty in October, is extremely doubtful with a groin strain.

This means coach David Young is set to continue his playing role on the tighthead.

Ponty have injury worries of their own, particularly in the back row.

Nick Kelly and Michael Owen are both sidelined with rib cartilage damage-and the situation has been compounded by Richard Parks dislocating a thumb in training, while Geraint Lewis has a shoulder problem.

Saturday's game at Sardis Road kicks off at 5.30pm to accommodate live television.

Ponty's league fixture away to Neath, which was originally scheduled for the weekend of December 28, has been moved to Monday, December 30, with a 2.30pm kick-off.

. LLANELLI'S last two Heineken Cup group matches will both be shown live on BBC Wales.

The Scarlets' Pool Three game at home to Bourgoin has been scheduled for Friday, January 10, with a 7.30pm kick-off.

And a week later , their clash with Glasgow at Hughenden will also be broadcast on BBC2 Wales - at 7.30pm on Friday, January 17.

The game between high-flying Northampton Saints and French champions Biarritz Olympique will be the BBC Grandstand match on Saturday, January 11, while Munster's mouth-watering meeting with Gloucester will go out on Grandstand the following week.

In the Parker Pen Challenge Cup, both of Pontypridd's games against Connacht are set to be televised by S4C, which is likely to mean 5.30pm kick-offs on Saturday, January 11 and Saturday, January 18.

. Veteran South Africa scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen is planning to make a shock international comeback in time for next year`s World Cup, according to his provincial side the Blue Bulls.

The Currie Cup winners claim Van der Westhuizen is angling for a move to Super 12 side the Sharks as he seeks to revive his international career after over a year without Test rugby.

With the player unable to resume training until January 13, two days before the Bulls are due to name their Super 12 squad, the 31-year-old has as good as been told that he is surplus to requirements. And the Bulls say that they will not stand in his way if he is committed to a Sharks move.

A statement said: "Joost, who did not play in the 2002 Super 12, sees this as an opportunity to stake his claim for the World Cup in an environment where he will be assured of a place in the starting 22.

"The Bulls coach Rudy Joubert has agreed that should Joost prefer to play for the Sharks in the Super 12 competition he will not stand in his way although he would prefer him to stay in the Bulls camp."